GREAT FALLS – Great Falls College MSU, the Great Falls Vet Center and Alliance for Youth will cohost a Suicide Prevention Day to raise awareness about suicide and educate people on how best to help those who are at risk.
The event will be Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. All events are free and open to the public and will take place in Heritage Hall at Great Falls College MSU, 2100 16th Ave. S.
“The goal of this event is to educate and promote awareness of suicide risk factors and better equip students, staff, faculty, and community members to respond to those at risk and to provide information on treatment resources available in the Great Falls Community,” said Elfie Neber, psychology faculty at GFC MSU.
Lunch, provided by the GFC MSU Veterans Success Center, will be served at noon, immediately followed by a presentation by Dr. Ostin Warren, director of the Great Falls Vet Center. Warren will discuss suicide warning signs and resources.
From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., there will be a panel discussion on warning signs, resources and support after suicide. Participants include mental health professionals from the Great Falls Vet Center and the VA. Dr. Heidi Pasek, chief academic officer of GFC MSU, will moderate the panel.
“We decided to hold this event close to Veterans Day to help bring awareness to the unique issues that face veterans,” Neber said.
At 6:30 p.m., Mike Woods, who survived a suicide attempt and is now a strong advocate of suicide prevention efforts, will share his powerful experience and message about preventing suicide.
In addition, GFC MSU psychology classes have created informational posters about suicide that will be on display in the hallways around Heritage Hall. Various community organizations will have resource tables and representatives outside Heritage Hall between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Organizations include: Eating Disorders Task Force, Great Falls Mental Health Crisis Triage Services, Gateway Community Services, Great Falls Vet Center, GFC MSU Veterans Success Center, Voices of Hope, Center for Mental Health, Emily Wish-Eating Disorders Treatment Center, LGBTQ Center, Benefis Health System and the Cascade County Mental Health Local Advisory Council. The Great Falls Mental Health Crisis Triage Services will have clinicians available to complete mental health screenings for students and the public.
For more information, contact:
Erin Granger
Marketing Specialist
Phone: 406-771-4314
[email protected]
Lewis Card
Executive Director—Development, Communications & Marketing
Phone: 406.771.4412
[email protected]
